The present invention pertains to a pipe clamp for holding an item having a long and narrow shape such as a pipe or wire harness on an attached component of a car body; and in particular to an anti-vibration clamp which is made so that it does not transmit the vibration from an item such as a pipe or tube or the like to an attached component on a car body or the like, or transmit the vibration from an attached component such as a body panel or the like to an item such as a pipe or the like.
Pipe clamps are known which are provided with a clamp portion which holds a long component such as a pipe or the like, and a main body portion which is securely attached to an attached component such as the body panel of an automobile or the like, and in which the pipe is attached to an attached component by means of securely fixing the main body portion to the attached component, the pipe being held in the clamp portion. The clamp portion has an open portion on top so as to receive the pipe, and is constructed so as to contain the pipe in a U-shaped space formed from a pair of side wall portions and a bottom portions; and the contained pipe is held so as to not slip out of the clamp portion. The main body portion has a secure attaching means for attaching to an attached component such as a body panel or the like, and is securely fixed to an attached component such as a body panel of a card body, or the like.
There may be instances in which vibration is produced in the pipe, caused by the pulsation of fluids passing through the pipe, or the like. It is necessary to prevent transmitting this sort of vibration through the pipe clamp to the car body side. Also, it is necessary to make it so that the vibration of the car body side is not transmitted to the pipe through the pipe clamp.
For this reason, there are pipe clamps that hold the pipe with a soft plastic material or the like. In this pipe clamp, the pipe does not directly come in contact with a pipe holding component made of hard plastic, and it becomes difficult for the vibration of the pipe to be propagated to the car body side. However, there is no avoiding a lowering of the holding power for the pipe.
Furthermore, there are pipe clamps which make transmitting vibration from the clamp portion to the main body portion difficult by forming the clamp portion which holds the pipe and the main body portion which is securely fixed to the attached component from hard plastic, and placing an elastic component made from rubber or soft plastic between the clamp portion and the main body portion. This sort of floating-type clamp is effective for absorbing vibration. However, the problem exists that it is difficult to join a soft elastic component to a hard clamp portion and main body portion.
Japanese unexamined patent publication JP2008-190682 discloses an anti-vibration clamp device which is comprised of a tube holding component which has a holding portion holding each of multiple tubes or the like individually, each holding portion being connected integrally at the base by a hard synthetic resin; a body mounting component formed from a hard synthetic resin for securely fixing the tube holding component to the body and the like; and an elastic connecting component placed between the tube holding component and the body mounting component which has a vibration absorbing function and elastically connects the tube holding component and the body mounting component. The elastic connecting component remains between the tube holding component and the body mounting component and has a function which prevents the transmission of vibration between both.
In the anti-vibration clamp device of JP2008-190682, because an elastic connecting component with a complex shape exists in the space between the tube-holding component and the body mounting component, it is difficult for each component to slip. However, when the tube holding component and the body mounting component have been set in a mold, a rubber-like compound or a soft synthetic resin is poured in and hardened, forming the elastic connecting component; that is, because insert molding is done, equipment for insert molding and metallic molds are needed.
Japanese unexamined patent publication JP2005-155749 discloses a pipe clamp provided with a car body joining component made of a hard material for attaching to a car body; a pipe holder made of a hard material for holding a pipe; and an anti-vibration component made from a soft material which is interposed between them. The anti-vibration component is provided with an engaging portion for the car body joining component and an engaging portion for the pipe holding component. When the three parts are assembled together, it is attached so that the anti-vibration component is laid down on the outer side of the pipe holding component, and the assembled unit of the pipe holding component and the anti-vibration component is inserted into the car body joining component. The space between the pipe holding component and the anti-vibration component and the space between the anti-vibration component and the car body joining component are mutually engaged by means of an engaging portion.
In the pipe clamp of JP2005-155749, the three parts can be assembled by a manual operation. The space between the pipe holding component and the anti-vibration component and the space between the anti-vibration component and the car body joining component are prevented from slipping out by means of ribs, protuberances, or the like. In regard to the engaging portion of the anti-vibration component made from soft material, there is the fear that each part may slip when a strong force is applied in the axial direction of the pipe.
Japanese unexamined patent publication JP2006-226394 discloses a clamp comprised of a clamp body which is capable of holding a pipe; an anti-vibration component made of rubber which is mounted on the main body; and a clip which engaging with the main body of the clamp, locks at the body panel. The clamp body, anti-vibration component, and clip are assembled by mounting the anti-vibration component on a mounting portion of the clamp body, and a long plate at the top of the clip passes through a long aperture portion of the anti-vibration component, and being rotated, the long plate is placed between protuberances on the upper surface of the anti-vibration component. In the clamp of JP2006-226394, by rotating it as far as the attachment position, the sliding resistance becomes small, and it becomes possible to objectively determine that it has been attached in a specific position.
However, in the clamp of JP2006-226394, the rotation of the clamp body and the clip is stopped by means of protuberances on the upper surface of the anti-vibration component, and when a strong force is applied in the direction of rotation, the concern exists that the clip may rotate. Also, because the clamp body and the clip contact in a narrow surface area, there is a concern that the clamp body, the clip, and the anti-vibration component may slip relative to one another when a strong force is applied from the outside.
Japanese unexamined patent publication JP2001-241569 discloses a pipe support component which is provided with a pipe holding component, a pair of tubular rubber components (elastic components) which are mounted in an insertion aperture of a pipe holding component and a locking component which is mounted in the inner aperture of a tube of a rubber component. A pair of rubber components is inserted from both sides of the insertion aperture of a pipe holding component, and if the locking component is inserted in the inner aperture of the tube of the rubber component, a hook of the locking component engages with a groove of the rubber component to prevent slipping.
However, in the pipe holding component of JP2001-241569, because the locking component and the rubber component engage by a hook being inserted in a groove, the joining strength is weak. Furthermore, the pair of rubber components which are inserted from both sides of the insertion aperture do not mutually join. For this reason, the joining strength between the mutual parts is inadequate.
For this reason, an anti-vibration clamp is sought which has high joining strength between the structural parts, in which it is difficult for the pipe holding component which holds the pipe, the clamp body which attaches to the body panel or the like, and the elastic component between these to slip.
In addition, an anti-vibration clamp is sought which can be simply molded without using equipment for insert molding or a metallic mold.
In addition, an anti-vibration clamp is sought in which the structural parts can be simply assembled without the use of assembly tools.